Generic shindiggery about life as a geophysicist.

Restaurant Review: La Cantina

I’ve been considering blogging about the restaurants that I visit for a while, and so thought that I’d use this post as a pilot for the general idea (as I’m not totally convinced whether I can pull it off, comments would be appreciated).

Anyway, to kick off this new (probably terrible) feature, we’ll be looking at the canteen of the desert camp. I don’t think it’s actually got a name, so I’ve arbitrarily given it one.

The restaurant

The first thing to notice is that it is literally a tent. However, it is always nice and warm inside, which is definitely a huge bonus (as the desert winds can be pretty cold to say the least)! There’s only one table, as there are only about six people at any one time in the camp, and so we all sit round it together. It does have satellite TV, so there’s usually something on (although I have to be honest, Chilean game shows are very odd indeed – however, they have a long way to go before beating Japan’s efforts in that particular department)!

The menu is simple, and there is no choice (due to there only being six people to cook for), but the food is varied and of very good quality.

The first course of the first meal I had – mussels and salad.

At every meal, there is bread provided. Lunch is three courses, supper two, and breakfast is pretty bog standard. Even though we’re in the middle of the desert, it’s not uncommon to eat fish and shellfish, (as well as meat). Often there is soup for the first course, which is pretty good.

I only have one criticism of the food here, and that is that almost everything comes with a garnish of coriander. I’m not a fussy eater, and there are very few foods that I don’t eat (few enough to be counted on one hand), but unfortunately, the thing I hate most is coriander! However, as all you Brits who read this will undoubtedly understand, one doesn’t make a scene, so I take it on the chin! (Luckily one of the effects of altitude is to reduce the sense of taste and smell)!